Inlet vane actuating device



Mach 13, 1958 R. D. MADlsoN ETAL 2,827,224

INLET VANE ACTUATING DEVICE Filed June 30, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 M H.. z. q' 9/ 6. INVENTORS March 18, 1958 R. D. MADlsoN ETAL 2,827,224

l INLET VNE CTUATING DEVICE Filed June 3Q, 1955 n 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fk 40 zI-w 'l 35. 45 22 44 y Unid Se@ nvLEr vANE ACTUATING DEvIcE Richard D. Madison, East Aurora, and James Barrie Graham and Howard C. Burgn, Hamburg, N. Y., assignors to Buffalo Forge Company, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1955, Serial No. 519,046

Claims. (Cl. 230-114) Our invention relates in'g'eneral to centrifugal fans, and in particular to the inlet vanes of such fans.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a plurality of cantilever inlet vanes supported at their outer ends, each having its axis radially disposed and its upper end inclined inwardly in the inlet eye.

Another object is to provide a vane adjusting means which is simple in design and which reduces the number of parts usually required for vane control.

Another object is to provide a mounting for fan inlet blades which may be individually removed from the fan housing in convenient manner'.

A further object is to provide a plurality of inlet vanes so shaped and positioned in the inlet eye that leakage of air is minimized as the vanes are moved to their closed positions.

Furthermore, it has been an object to provide regulating means carried by each vane and connected together by means of a oating ring, whereby unison operation of the vanes is achieved.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is an exterior View of a centrifugal fan embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof taken on line II-lI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one of the vanes and its actuating mechanism and is taken on line II-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the vane actuating means as viewed from the inside of the casing toward the outside thereof; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modication of our invention; and

Fig. 6` is a fragmentary sectional view of another modiiication form of our invention.

While we show our invention in Fig. 2 as applied to a double inlet fan, it is obvious that it may be applied to any type of centrifugal fan. v In the drawings, 10 represents the fan casing, and 11 the fan wheel. The casing is provided with two side walls 12 in each of which is mounted an inlet eye 13. The fan wheel 11 is formed at each side with a shroud ring 14. Each of the inlet eyes is formed, where a vane is to be located, with an opening 15 which is covered by means of a patch plate 16. Each patch plate is attached to the eye by suitable removable fastening means. Each of the patch plates carries a vane shaft housing 20 which is secured to the plate preferably by welding. Each housing projects through the adjacent opening 15 and extends into the interior of the casing above the inlet eye. Each of these housings has its axis radially disposed and its upper end inclined inwardly from a plane normal to the axis of said wheel as shown in Fig. 3 for reasons to be hereinafter described.

Mounted within each of the vane shaft housings is a vane shaft 21 supported by two anti-friction bearings n sleeve member 51.

j 2,827,224 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 er' 1C? 22 held in spaced relation b'y means of a separator sleeve 23. Eachvane shaft is'prov'ided at its lower end with an enlarged portion 24 forming a shoulder 25 which bears against the lower bearing 22. The lower end of each of the vane shafts is formed with an axial recess 26 within which the upper end of a stub shaft 30 is disposed. Each stub shaft is held in place by means of a set screw 31 which preferably engages a reduced portion 32 formed on the stub shaft. Each of the stub shafts carries an inlet Vane 33 which is preferably secured thereto by means of welding or the like. The upper edges 34 of each of the vanes are curved so that they conform substantially to the shape of the inlet eye when approaching closed position, whereby leakage of air is minimized. A bearing washer 35 is preferably secured to the upper reduced end 36 of the vane shaft, and this washer, which bears against the upper bearingZZ, serves to prevent axial movement of the vane shaft.v

Carried at the upper end of each of the vane shafts 21 and secured in place upon the reduced portion 36 thereof is the end 40 of an actuating lever 41. This lever extends outwardly toward the inlet bell and, when in mid position, has its outer end 42 preferably so disposed as to be substantially coplanar with the axis of the wheel. Mounted about theseries of actuating levers 41 and disposed over the outer ends thereof is a rigid one-piece adjusting ring 43. Carried by each of the ends 42 of the actuating levers is a coupling unit having a ball stud 44 which is screwthreaded into the end of the lever and is adjustably locked in place by means of a lock nut 45. Each ball stud when in mid position has its axis substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis and is provided at its upper end with a ball 46 which engages a cylindrical recess 50 of the coupling unit which is formed with a Each sleeve member is provided with a sleeve stud 52 which is passed through a slotted aperture 53 formed in the ring 43. As hereinbefore pointed out the axis of each vane shaft housing and, therefore, the vane shaft mounted therein is radially disposed and inclined inwardly at its outer end, whereby when the ends 42 of the actuating levers are oscillated by movement of the adjusting ring 43, the arcuate paths described by the balls 46 will be substantially concentric with the path of the adjusting ring about the axis of the fan shaft. During this oscillation there is substantially no sliding movement between the ball and the sleeve, but free rotative and angular movement between the parts is permitted as well as lateral movement of the ring. The slot 53 provides for initial adjustment of the socket members with relation to the ball studs.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 5, the vane shaft 60 isof one-piece construction and extends through a vane shaft housing 61. This housing is tubular in form and the inner diameter thereof is larger than the diameter of the shaft. A spacer 62 is xedly mounted upon the shaft and is rotatably disposed within the vane housing. Bearings 63 and 64 are disposed at each end of the spacer and the shaft is mounted therein. The bearings are secured in place by means of set screws 65. By means of the bearings 63 and 64 and the spacer 62, the vane shaft 60 is prevented from axial movement within the shaft housing. The housing in this form of the invention is permanently secured at its lower end to the inlet bell 66 of the fan, a suitable opening '70 being formed therein for the accommodation of the shaft 60 and the lower bearing 64.

In this modification, the rigid one-piece adjusting ring 71 is mounted inwardly of the outer ends 72 of the shaft levers 73. This ring carries a series of ball studs 74 -which are adjustably mounted by means of lock nuts 75. Each of the studs is formed at its upper end with a ball 76 which engages a cylindrical recess 79 having a semispherical recess 80 formed in the inner side of the end 72 of the lever. Y

The modification shown in Fig. 6 comprises a plurality of ball studs 81 which are carried by the rigid one-.piece adjusting jri'ng :82. Each .of the studs is screw'threaded into a clamping Washer "83 Whichb'ears against the bottom surface .ofthe ring and which ha's its body portion disposedWithin a lateralslot .87 formed in the ring. A

lock nut'84 engaging va Washer 88 serves to lock the stud 3. The combination with the inlet bell of a centrifugal fan, of a plurality of inlet vane shafts rotatably carried by said bell, an inlet vaneicarried by each of said vane shafts, the axis of each shaft being inclined so that the outer end thereof is positioned toward a plane passing through the smaller diameter of the bell, an actuating lever carried by each vane shaft, a rigid one-piece adjusting ring associated with said levers, Aand a coupling unit comprising a single ball and a single sleeve formed with a cylindrical bore carried by .said ring and by each of said levers for pivotally connecting said levers Vto SaidV adjusting ring for :unison actuation of said vanes, said ring being supported .solely by said coupling units.

'in Which is mounted a 'twopart .socket member 92. Each portion of the `socket member `has a spherical -inner surface 931for Vengagement With thespherical surface of the ball 86;. AInthis `form of invention, any axialkmovemen't between'thebal'ls and the ring Y'82 will be permitted by sliding lmovement thereof` upon the .cylindrical portion 85. Fromsthesforegoing it `will 'be 'obviousthat as the adjustingring in either form of invention 'is rotated, .the 'socket rnembers'will transmit motion through 'the engagefdV balls to the lactuating levers, whereby each of the vaneswillbe adjusted Yin unison with the other vanes.

While wehave shown and described the vanes asbeing of `cantilever'type, it Visjobvious vthat in large ffans it may benecessaryto support the free end of .each'of Vthe vanes insuitable bearingjmeans. These and other objects of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing "from 'the spirit of our invention or the -scope of the 'appended claims.

What is 'claimed is:

l1. The .combination .in a centrifugal fan, 'of an inlet bell formed with aseries of spaced openings, a patch plate 'secured to Asaid bell over 'each o'f said openings, a vane Ashaft housing carried by each patch plate, Veach of said Vhousings ,being inclined sothat the outer end thereof is positioned toward a 'plane passing through the smaller diameter of fthe bell,a vane shaft carried by each housing and having 'annlet vane carried by its free end, an actuating jlevervsecured *at the Vinner Tend to each of said shafts, a rigid one-piece adjusting ring adjacent 'the outer ends of saidY actuating levers, and means .comprising a ball )anda 'sleeve for connecting the outer end of each of said -levers Ato said ring.

2,. The-combinationwiththe inlet Vbell of a centrifugal fan, of a Aplurality offvane vshaft housings detachably carried by said 'inlet bell, a .cantilever vane shaft rotatably mounted in each 'of'said housings, the axis of each shaft 4. The combin'taion with the inlet bell of a centrifugal fan, of a plurality Lof inlet vane 4shafts rotatably carried by said bell, an inlet vane carried by each of said vane shafts, the axis of each shaft being inclined so that the outer Aend thereof is positioned' toward a plane passing through 'the smaller diameter of the bell, an actuating lever carried by each vane shaft and lhaving its outer Y end substantially coplanar when in mid position with the axis of said fanyarrigid one-piece adjusting ring associated with said levers anda coupling .unit comprising a single ball and a single sleeve formed with a ,cylindrical bore carried'by said ring and by each of said levers for pivotally connecting said levers to said adjusting ring for unison actuation of said vanes, said ring being supported solely by said coupling units.

5. 'The combination with the inlet bell of a centrifugal fan, of a plurality of vane shaft Vhousings detachably carried by said inlet bell, a cantilever vane shaft rotatably .mounted in each of said housings, the axis of .Y each 'shaft being inclined so that the outer end thereof is positioned toward the smaller .diameter of the bell, an

being inclinedso that'the Aouter end thereof is 'positioned toward the smaller; diameter of the "b'ell, a stub shaft removably carried by'said vane'sh'aft, an inlet vane carried by each of `said stub shafts, 'an actuating lever carried by each vane shaft, a laterally movable rigid one-piece adjusting "ring associated `with said levers, Vand a free universal coupling `carried by said ring vand said 'levers for pivotally connectingthe'last mentioned parts, .Whereby lsaid vanes will :befactuated in unison.

inlet vane carried `by each of said vane shafts, an actuating lever carried by each 'vane shaft, `a rotatable adjusting ring'carried'solely Vby said levers', said ring being laterally movable when being adjusted, and a plurality of two-part 'universal coupling unitsconnecting said vring and said levers, each of said units comprising a single ball and a single sleeve formed with a cylindrical bore for actuating said vanes in unison.

References Citedin the le of this patent UNITED 'STATES PATENTS Re.20,40s Hagen rune 15, 1937 2,100,481 Howden Nov. 30, 1937 2,371,706 Planiol Mar. 30, 1945 2,435,092 Meyer Jan. `27, 1948 2,606,713 Bauger Aug. 12, 1952 2,621,848 Bentley Dec. 16, 1952 .2,697,326 .Featonby Dec. '21, 1954 '2,733,001 `McDonaldV Jan. 31, 1956 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 1,060,663 France Nov. 1s, 1953 1,088,030 France Sept. 1,Y 1954 

